Konstruktvalidität

Konstruktvalidität, often translated as construct validity, is a fundamental concept in psychometrics and research methodology. It refers to the degree to which a test or measurement instrument accurately measures the theoretical construct it is intended to measure. A construct is an abstract concept, such as intelligence, anxiety, or job satisfaction, that cannot be directly observed but is inferred from observable behaviors or responses.

Establishing construct validity involves a complex process of accumulating evidence from various sources. One approach is convergent validity, which assesses whether the measure correlates highly with other measures that are theoretically similar. For example, a new measure of depression should correlate strongly with existing, well-established depression scales. Conversely, discriminant validity (or divergent validity) examines whether the measure is unrelated to measures of theoretically distinct constructs. A measure of anxiety, for instance, should not correlate highly with a measure of intelligence.

Another important aspect is the nomological network, which refers to the pattern of relationships that a construct is expected to have with other constructs and observable variables. Evidence for construct validity is built by demonstrating that the measured construct behaves in a way consistent with its theoretical definition within this network. Factor analysis is a statistical technique often used to assess construct validity by examining the underlying factor structure of a measure. If the items of a scale load onto the expected factors, it provides support for the construct validity of the measure. Ultimately, construct validity is not an all-or-nothing property but rather a matter of degree, supported by ongoing research and evidence.